Welcome to my team preview series for 2024-25. Each day between now and the start of the college basketball season, I will preview one team or conference, both on Instagram (@collegehoopsoutlet) and through an article here. The preview will go in-depth on the roster build of the team, my expectations for their upcoming season, and the state of the program under their current head coach.
Minnesota (Projected: 15th in B1G)
Ben Johnson finally got the rebuild going at Minnesota in year three, leading the Gophers to a 19-15 (9-11) record. Heading into year four, it’s a bit of a reset, with six rotational players on the way out. Johnson used the transfer portal well though, and with one of the best players in the Big Ten in his final season, this may be his best chance at reaching an NCAA Tournament.
Dawson Garcia (18 ppg, 7 rpg) was the player hinted at above, a talented stretch four who has been a key piece for Minnesota over the last two years. Garcia gives the Gophers a post presence and is also able to step out and consistently hit midrange shots. The other returner who played minutes in the Gophers frontcourt is Parker Fox (5 ppg, 3 rpg), the ultimate energy guy, and a guy who should see a similar role to last year as a sixth-man. The lone returner in the backcourt is Mike Mitchell Jr. (10 ppg, 3 apg), a talented combo guard who shot 39.9% from three last season. Mitchell will likely become the primary point guard this season and have more ball handling duties. The final returner is forward Kadyn Betts (1 ppg), who saw limited minutes during his freshman year.
The list of departures for Minnesota goes six deep, many of them surprising exits. Freshman guard Cam Christie (11 ppg, 4 rpg) left after a great first year to the NBA. Point guard Elijah Hawkins (10 ppg, 8 apg) announced his return to the Gophers before entering the transfer portal and joining Texas Tech. Sophomores Pharrel Payne (10 ppg, 6 rpg), Joshua Ola-Joseph (8 ppg), and Braeden Carrington (5 ppg) all entered the transfer portal as well. Junior forward Isaiah Ihnen (3 ppg) also entered the transfer portal, playing just three seasons for the Gophers while battling injury since joining in 2018.
Johnson found seven guys in the transfer portal to try to replace this crew though, primarily targeting the mid-major level. Frank Mitchell (12 ppg, 12 rpg at Canisius) comes into the program for his final year of eligibility as an excellent rebounder. Mitchell will likely slide into the starting center role, a direct replacement for Pharrel Payne. Trey Edmonds (7 ppg, 6 rpg at UTSA) is the other frontcourt transfer, adding to the bench depth alongside Parker Fox.
Two enticing mid-major guards will join Mike Mitchell Jr. in the backcourt, Charlotte transfer Lu’Cye Patterson (15 ppg, 3 apg at Charlotte) and Toledo transfer Tyler Cochran (14 ppg, 6 rpg at Toledo). Patterson is a crafty three-level scorer who returns home to Minnesota for his final year of college basketball. He’ll likely split ball handling duties with Mitchell in the backcourt. Cochran was a late commitment for the Gophers, having decommitted from Oregon State to join the team. Cochran is a strong, physical guard who can rebound very well at just 6-2. He can score at all three levels efficiently and gives the Gophers another experienced guard in the backcourt.
The final three transfer additions for the Gophers will likely be depth pieces in the backcourt. Caleb Williams (20 ppg at D3-Macalester) will make the jump from D3 to D1, getting on Ben Johnson’s radar after scoring 41 at The Barn in a preseason exhibition last fall. Brennan Rigsby (6 ppg, 3 rpg at Oregon) gives the Gophers some shooting off the bench and high-major experience. Femi Odukale (11 ppg, 6 rpg at New Mexico State) is a do-it-all guard who will be a solid depth piece for the team.
Two freshmen found their way to the Gophers by way of the high school recruiting trails, both staying in their home state of Minnesota. Isaac Asuma (3*, NAT 152) is highly-touted by Gophers fans, and the backcourt will likely become his by 2025-26. Grayson Grove (3*, NAT 271) will likely have to wait a year as well to see any real minutes, with four seniors in the frontcourt ahead of him.
Ben Johnson finally showed signs of improvement last season and the Gophers made a good run in the NIT, losing to eventual runners-up Indiana State. The NIL isn’t exactly stacked at Minnesota, but Johnson did a solid job finding guys in the portal. The pressure to win will still be on in year four though, with 10 seniors in the likely rotation.
Dawson Garcia is the alpha of this team, and that’s about the only certainty there is. The backcourt has three solid, experienced guards, but who takes over as the primary guy there is a question. The X-factor for this team for me is Mike Mitchell Jr., the only returning guard to the roster. Mitchell will likely have the ball in his hands a lot more with Elijah Hawkins gone, and he needs to make the most of it.
The Big Ten is stacked with talented teams, but the conference is wide-open with not much separating most of the teams. The Gophers’ experience gives me hope as a fan that they can be a sneaky team in the conference. I’ll try to shove some of my bias aside for the prediction though, placing the Gophers 15th in the Big Ten.